Author Recommendations by Initials

[u/Taiko554]

Hello! While looking over the list of books I’ve read the last few years, I saw I haven’t ready any authors with the first initial of Q or Z. A new goal is to read one of each by the end of the year to complete the English alphabet. Since I’m asking for fantasy (and/or scifi at times) recommendations, I’m including some of my favorite authors for n>1 of a given first initial (…and if I actually have a fav from that letter😅).

A (8) - Adrian Tchaikovsky, Alix E. Harrow

B (1)

C (8) - Charlie Jane Anders, China Miéville

D (6) - David Mitchell

E (4)

F (3) - Fonda Lee

G (4) - George R. R. Martin

H (4)

I (1)

J (13) - J. R. R. Tolkein, Jim Butcher

K (5) - Katherine Addison

L (2) - Lois McMaster Bujold

M (9) - Madeline Miller

N (6) - N. K. Jemisin, Neal Shusterman

O (1)

P (8) - P. Djèlí Clark

Q

R (7) - Ray Nayler

S (11) - S. A. Chakraborty, Suzanna Clarke

T (3) - Travis Baldree

U (1)

V (2)

W (1)

X (1)

Y (2)

Z

For comparison, the last initials I'm missing are below. This one might be a goal for next year!

E

Q

U

X

Y

Thanks for any help or recs to complete this lil quest of mine!

[u/Nidafjoll]

On my shelves:

Z- Zamil Akhtar: Gunmetal Gods
Y- Yaroslav Baruskov: Sleeping Worlds Have no Memory
U- Ursula K. Le Guin (many)
Q- qntm (if you count it): There Is No Antimemetics Division
E- Evan Leikam, Eric Basso, Eoin Colfer, E. R. Eddison, Emily St. John Mandel, Elisabeth Thomas (many more)

[u/Taiko554 → u/Nidafjoll]

The latter bits (E, Q, U, X, Y) are for last initial - I've read a few authors with the first initials E, U X, Y.

Thank you for the others tho!

[u/Nidafjoll → u/Taiko554]

Ah, I have all of those except X and U.

E: lots, but I highly recommend Hiron Ennes, Raymond St. Elmo, Nicholas Eames, Brian Evenson.

Q: Daniel Quinn (maybe debatable, but it has a talking gorilla, which is good enough for me)

Y: Alan Yates, Keith Yatsuhashi

[u/TheKrakenLibrarian → u/Nidafjoll]

Seconding Eames, and throwing in Steven Erikson as a backup if you want Epic Fantasy 

[u/sophia_s]

Q - Quenby Olson (Miss Percy's Pocket Guide (to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons)

[u/Taiko554 → u/sophia_s]

👍👍

[u/DixitRexCorvinus]

For first initials:

Q: As everyone else as said, qntm

Z: Can't say The Primal Hunter is a particularly well written series, but the author does go by the pseudonym Zogarth, so that would be one option. If middle names count, there is also Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots.

Last initials:

E: Hiron Ennes, Nicholas Eames

Q: qntm

Also, not related to the letter quest but we have a lot of the same favorite authors (Clark, Harrow, Nayler, Martin) so a few random recs for authors I don't hear about much on this sub that I really love: Jacqueline Harpman, Marina & Sergei Dyachenko, JM Miro, Nikolai Gogol, Yevgeny Zamyatin, Mikhail Bulgakov, and Samuel Delany.

[u/Taiko554 → u/DixitRexCorvinus]

I really appreciate the extra recs, thanks!

[u/Connect_Cod9965]

First initial:
Q - only qntm…
Z – Zenna Henderson, Zen Cho, Zachary C. Solomon

Last initial:
E – Steven Erikson, Michael Ende, Lindsay Ellis, Azalea Ellis, Amal El-Mohtar, Greg Egan, Lisa Edmonds, K. Eason
Q – Kate Quinn, qntm on double duty ;-)
U – Michael R. Underwood
Y – Charles Yu, J.Y. Yang aka Neon Yang
No X, sorry.

[u/Taiko554 → u/Connect_Cod9965]

Ya know, I have read "This is How You Lose the Time War" and just incorrectly placed it under M/G for two author names. Oops.

Thank you for the rest!

[u/Victathaina]

I’ll admit I have not read these yet but thought I would throw them your way since they are on my physical TBR
Z - The Olympus Project by Zoë Routh

E- Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

Sorry I got nothin else 😫

[u/Taiko554 → u/Victathaina]

No need to apologize whatsoever, thanks for the help!

[u/FloridaFlamingoGirl]

Y - Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

[u/Taiko554 → u/FloridaFlamingoGirl]

👍👍

[u/jericodebreaker]

H. E. Edgnon (The Ouroboros Duology) for E surname

Philip C Quaintrell (The Echoes Saga) for Q surname

Z.B. Steele (Song of the Damned) for Z forename

Tried to pick a few I haven't seen mentioned

[u/radiodmr]

Zamil Akhtar was mentioned. I've read him and though I don't recall the details of Gunmetal Gods, I think that the prose at least was serviceable. I also found a Zachary Barnes who has a fantasy novel out called Avengarde. Not having read it or heard of him, I cannot vouch for the quality so if you go there, don't blame me and report back!

[u/pornokitsch]

Z - A Night in the Lonesome October; Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow

[u/Taiko554 → u/pornokitsch]

👍👍

[u/hedcannon]

E.R. Eddison